Advanced Skills

Flag Football Drills for Kids

Advanced Skill Developement

Ball Handling Combination Drill This youth flag football drill combines several basic drills in to one combination to improve your players’ ability to execute a running play. The Drill uses a team or 3 or optionally 4 (see below) – Center, quarterback and running back, and optionally a Linebacker.

Quarterback lines up under center and calls hike and receives the snap.

The running back can line up a several designated spots in the back field, depending on how your playbook is designed. Each time the drill is run the RB should change positions, so that he and the quarterback can practice different hand-off techniques.

The running back moves in the proper line to except a hand-off from the quarterback

The running back carries the ball 10 yards down the field.

Optional Add a line backer 10 yards down field. Once he sees the hand-off, the LB should move forward and attempt to pull the flag of the running back.

It’s best to start this drill at half speed at first, but after a few tries the players should practice running this drill at full speed. WR Route Running & Pass Receiving Combination Drill– In this simple drill QB & WR practice different route running and pass catching techniques. The focus is on the QB hitting the receiver in stride and/or with proper timing, and of course the receiver running the proper route and catching the ball.

Either the coach or the QB calls the pattern to execute.

On “hike” the center snaps the ball to the QB and the WR starts their routes. Emphasise proper stance and an explosive start off the LOS.

The QB throws the pass to the WR, the WR then catches the ball and runs down field for 10-15 yards. Insure the WR secures the ball and turns up field immediately.

Next player goes. Every player can run the same pattern or each player can be called for a different pattern depending on the Coach’s goals for the day.

Optionally the Coach can add a defender into the mix once the players have advanced enough.

2-on-1 Team Flag Pulling Drill – A more complex drill that will help you coach your players to work as a team when pulling the flag of a ball carrier.

Start by mapping out the running area with cones. The running area should be a rectangle roughly 20 yards long by 5 yards wide. One side of the rectangle represents the sideline.

Select 2 players at a time to be defenders. Defender 1 should stand 10 yards from the sideline at the mid point (10 yards deep) of the rectangle. The second defender lines up approx. 10 yards deeper and 15 yards from the sideline.

Select 1 player to be the ball carrier. When the drill begins the ball carrier attempts to traverse the running area starting at one end and moving 30 yards down field to the opposite end. The idea is that this player represents a runner who has “turned the corner” and is attempting to sprint down the sideline to the end zone.

Defender 1 attempts to stop the ball carrier by moving forward to block his way and protect the sideline, forcing the runner back towards the middle of the field. His primary concern should be stopping the progress of the runner, since he knows assistance is coming. He should attempt to pulling the flag only after he is in good position with the sideline protected.

Defender 2 must race down field to fill the cutback lane and assist defender 1 in pulling the flag while barring the runner from moving into the center of the field.

Its important to emphasize the following points:

The defender should move forward and attack the runner, not sit back and wait.

At the end of the drill both defenders should be very close together, so that there is no gap for the ball carrier to dart between them.

Defender 1 should “protect the sideline” by positioning himself so that there is no room for the runner to pass to the outside without stepping out of bounds.

Welcome to the flag football page. Here we have 2 pages - parents and coaching. Coaching - Here you will many find resources and articles for coaching youth flag football. Parents - Here we have provided resources to help you understand the rules and concepts of youth flag football, and more importantly to empower you to help your child learn how to play flag football.